A personal viewpoint by Joe Hueglin

DISCRIMINATION : BOTH GOOD AND NOT GOOD

We all discriminate. We differentiate between what we choose and do not choose. And we do it freely. I choose Wendy's over Harvey's, old cheese over mild, the Maple Leafs over all other teams.

We discriminate in our associations. We do not generally ask the same people to go with us pub crawling as to a Rotary banquet, if we wish to raise Cain or have a profound conversation. When some of us were younger, when we sought to "mash the pash" or attend a graduation formal.

This week the Hydra of so-called "EMPLOYMENT EQUITY" raised two heads again. The purposes of the Canadian armed forces, it is now deemed, will be best served when 50% of those serving are airwomen, seawomen and infantry women. That active recruiting has only raised the level to 11% is ignored.Political correctness must be served.

It will be interesting to see what steps will be necessary to reach, not "quotas' (this word is anathema, it does not exist in the vocabulary of the zealots), but "goals". Will it be a bounty to females to enlist? Might it even be seeking recruits outside Canada? Ridiculous? Maybe....but without some incentive how will the other 39% sought after be attained when ordinary methods have failed?

The University of Western Ontario is the second case. Hirings are not to be based on obtaining the most qualified. No, all that is necessary is to be qualified and then gender, ancestral origin, and the like take over. (But what constitutes an aboriginal is at question: full bloodline; a half; a quarter; a sixty-fourth?)

It is a good thing I have retired. If I were starting out to day I would have everything against me: I happen to be a healthy, male, born in Canada, Euro-Canadian. I would have to check OTHER on the forms and would be hired only after all qualified applicants in "target groups" had been employed to meet the "goals".

Is discrimination good? Not if it is differentiation that is based on prejudgement unrelated to the task at hand. It is though, if it is a judgement that selects the most capable, the most competent, the most meritorious applicant among those seeking a position.

Surprisingly, or perhaps not, among those most opposed to reverse discrimination are women and minorities who have succeeded. They are denied the sense of achievement they rightfully deserve because some argue they did not get where they are based on merit. They also carry the burden of those who ARE placed in positions they do not handle well.

Should the Federal governments anti-merit Employment Equity programmes be a target ? Obviously The writer thinks so. Comments anyone?

Joe Hueglin, Secondary School Teacher and Parliamentarian(Retired)

  Thank you!